Herout AOC Cotentin Extra-Brut

Review of Herout AOC Cotentin Extra-Brut. It is my first time trying anything from this cidery, but I have had many other French cidres.

>>This is a review of a sample bottle provided to Cider Says by Beauchamp Imports / French Cider Inc. Although I will take care to treat it the same as any other review, there is always the potential for bias as I received it for free. The only consideration I knowingly made was pushing this up in my cider review cue. I love free stuff, especially cider! Want your cider or cider-related product reviewed here? Contact me.<<

Cider Description:This organic, extra-brut cidre is one of the only extra-brut cidres available from Normandy. Because it is produced in a maritime climate, it goes perfectly with seafood, especially fresh oysters. Cidre Cotentin is made from 100% naturally fermented cidre apple juice. Because Cidre Cotentin is not pasteurized, the natural fermentation process will continue after bottling for at least another two months.

Cidery Description: Since the 1940s, Hérout cidre has been produced by the Hérout family on the Cotentin Peninsula on the Northwest coast of Normandy France, in Auvers, where apples thrive in its lush and oceanic climate. They are the newest cidre AOC in France, since May 2016. The cidermaker Marie-Agnes Herout was just awarded the highest civilian honor in France for her 16 years of work getting the AOC recognized – Le Croix de Chevalier, Legion d’Honneur (Knights Cross for the Legion of Honneur).

My Opinion: I liked it. However, this one is not one of my favorite French cidres. However, that is only because my personal preference is slightly sweeter and more flavorful than this, with less funk and sourness. This one had more characteristics of a Normandy cider (funk and sourness) than a lot of the other French ciders I’ve tried in the last month or so. Due to that, it is not quite as beginner friendly.